County: Galway Site name: NEWFORD
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A024/2, E2437
Author: Brendon Wilkins, Headland Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Fulahct fiadh and Cremation pit
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 549039m, N 726764m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.288740, -8.764296
Excavation was carried out in advance of construction on the N6 Galway to Ballinasloe road scheme; the site was located 1.5km from the town of Athenry, Co. Galway. Testing by Tom Janes in 2005 (Excavations 2005, No. 636) identified archaeological features in an area designated Area A and the remains of a fulachta fiadh in an area designated Area B.
Excavation revealed Area A to be a Bronze Age cremation cemetery with a potential pyre and associated pits, post-holes and stake-holes, some of which contained burnt bone and prehistoric pottery. Two large post-holes of 1.5m diameter and 1m depth were considered to be marker posts.
Area B was revealed to be a burnt mound of 12m by 5m in width but only 0.3m deep, with a large square trough of 4m by 4m in width and 1.35m in depth fed by springs.
The above work was made possible as a result of funding and cooperation from Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork
